


Stories from the Kakemonos

by orphan_account



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 17:20:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23570155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Kagome is bored and decides to travel with Inuyasha to an old estate that belonged to his relatives.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Kudos: 6





	Stories from the Kakemonos

“This looks like the place. Come on.” Kagome yanked on Inuyasha’s sleeve. It had been well over a month since she decided to permanently return to the Sengoku Jidai, and yet she found herself craving to leave Kaede’s village occasionally. The moment that Myoga had given Inuyasha a tip off to head over towards an estate which belonged to a deceased relative, it was all the excuse Kagome needed to leave. 

After making the needed arrangements with the residents within the estate, she and Inuyasha started on their short adventure. It was thanks to Sango loaning Kirara to Kagome that the trip to the estate didn’t take too long; they were able to locate it within a day. 

It was a huge castle which stood a fair distance from a waterfall and was surrounded by a vast pine forest. In a way, it was like a jewel standing amid a country broken by the warring states. 

“Well, well it looks like my great-grand nephew was living the high luxury type of life- wasn’t he?” Inuyasha said, looking around for an entrance while Kagome was awestruck by the waterfall. 

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha and shrugged. “Didn’t Myoga say that he was a Daimyo when he was alive? If so, I think that answers the question as to how he was able to have a place like this.”

Inuyasha scratched his head as he watched the front doors open. “How did he manage to acquire so many damned castles in his short lifespan? I’m almost impressed, if not for the fact he was a descendant of my father!”

“He must have been really military savvy in order to accomplish such a feat.”

A samurai dressed in white armor stepped down the stairs of the castle and approached Kagome. “Hey there!” Kagome called out, waving her hand in the air as the warrior got closer to them. 

“You must be Kagome and Inuyasha. I’m humbled to be in the presence of Lord Akihiko’s great grand uncle.” The samurai had a greying moustache and eyebrows beneath his helmet; the fact that all the warriors in the castle were middle aged was the first thing Kagome had noticed about them. How did anyone not conquer this place already? She chose not to dwell on it. 

“Oh geeze. I only came here because I felt obligated to learn a little more about some relative of mine, I never met.” Inuyasha snorted and crossed his arms. 

“I must say that I’m quite envious of you to be related to my late Lord. There was something about him that was quite… out of our realm. It is most unfortunate that he never had a blood heir of his own, because I’m certain that they would have been able to help him pave the way for a more unified country.”

The scowl on Inuyasha’s face melted. “Sounds like he was a big dreamer.” Kagome’s heart broke as she picked up on the cracks of sorrow that slipped through; the poor guy was only now just finding out that he had another relative aside from Sesshomaru… one who was deceased. 

“That he was, and we followed him into the harsh northern climate to save his lady love.” The samurai nodded with a strained smile on his face. 

“Lady love?” 

Kagome allowed the samurai to lead them into the castle and then followed him down the long corridors.

“Mmhmm, she was a childhood friend of his whom he decided would become his betrothed when they both reached their tenth year of age. However, she was imprisoned shortly after by a general for many years. Instead of sitting back and indulging himself in the riches of being a Daimyo he recruited many commoners into his army.” There was a sense of pride from the man’s voice as he spoke. “Many of us had joined him because we had nothing to lose and we were sick of being oppressed by our northern neighbours.”

“Did you guys manage to save his lover?”

“Yes, but he unfortunately died battling the general.”

Kagome sighed. If there was anything she disliked, it was tragedies; why couldn’t the world make room for romantic endings to happen? 

“Where’s this general so I could kick his ass?!” Inuyasha said, picking up on Kagome’s disappointment. Avenging a fallen relative wouldn’t be too far from the realm of possibility for either of them. 

The Samurai resumed his prideful smile. “Thankfully he is six feet under. It’s kind of amusing to me that the general was killed by the very same mercenary who he once hired to fetch the lady during her many escape attempts.”

“What comes around, goes around I guess.” Kagome said as she and Inuyasha followed the warrior into a room, where there was a balcony. She rushed over to the balcony and looked over the dazzling. “Oh wow, the view is lovely from here. It’s beautiful.”

Inuyasha joined her side and leaned forward. “You’re right. Good to know that my relative had an eye for nature in all of it’s glorious beauty.”

“It’s kind of funny seeing you being all sentimental. I never took you for the type to be like that.”

Inuyasha’s face became crimson as he looked away. “I’m just stating the obvious.”

“Why don’t we look around here a little more?”

In agreement, Inuyasha followed her and the samurai into another room where he saw the familiar kakemono from years ago. There was a picture depicting a Kirin with blue scales standing just beside a waterfall, with another depicting a braided warrior slaying an Oni with a hammer while riding a white horse. 

Then there was a third one, where a woman with a Murasaki kosode and pink yukata was standing with the Oni-Slayer under a Sakura tree. Behind them were six other warriors, dressed in ceremonial garb of some sort- each having facial markings. 

It didn’t take long for Kagome to be lost in the world of vibrant colors. “These kakemonos are beautiful. Is there a story behind them?”

There was a long sigh before the samurai went on to explain the story behind the kakemonos. “The Kirin represents Akihiko’s late lady. Her mother was burned to death over the corpse of a kirin to bring it back to life… but she was all that was left once her mother was incinerated along with the Kirin’s bones.” 

Inuyasha looked over the Kirin. “Sounds like there was an attempt of redemption.” 

“Well regardless, it was good that the Lady survived.”

Kagome moved her finger towards the noblewoman under the Sakura tree. “I take it that this is the Lady?”

“Correct!”

“Who’s are the guys in the background?”

“Those were her seven retainers. Out of all the lords in the land, it was she whom their leader pledged loyalty towards after Akihiko died. I think if it weren’t for the leader, she would have succumbed to grief.”

“What happened to her warriors?” Kagome asked.

“They were executed when deemed too dangerous by the neighbouring warlords. They died the same day she did, if only hours apart. In some ways, I think it was for the best that she didn’t have to live with the grief of losing them as well.”

Then there was a sudden touch of sadness that crossed Kagome’s face as she stared into the picture once more. “I can’t imagine what she was going through; losing your fiancé and then warriors who were loyal to you?”

“Hang on to that thought, Kagome.” Inuyasha said, then turned to look at the samurai. “You met these guys before, right?”

“Many times. They were equally as skilled and brutish in battle.”

Inuyasha arched a brow and then looked back at the kakemono. “So, were you guys on good terms with them?”

The samurai nodded. “For the most part, yes. Personally, I thought they were pleasant to be around outside of battle; especially whenever we’d get drunk with them. Their leader was also a closeted hopeless romantic.”

Kagome chuckled, forgetting about the tragic ending for just a moment. “I don’t think that’s something a lot of warriors would confess to being.”

“I wouldn’t have ever known if not for watching his interactions with the Lady from afar. It was always surreal seeing him go from gleefully cutting down enemies to trying to write poetry for the Lady whenever he thought no one was looking.”

“And this was after Akihiko’s death?”

“Yes. Before then, he only admired her from afar.” 

“How honourable of him.” Inuyasha sneered and looked away. “Sounds like a real decent man to me.”

“SIT!”

Inuyasha’s body was smashed onto the ground. The samurai recoiled in fascination and horror. “Oh dear.” 

Wishing to pretend that he hadn’t witnessed the charm being used on Inuyasha, he started to head out of the room. “Now then, why don’t I lead you to the memorial as I promised?” Without protest, they followed the samurai out of the castle and went into a nearby cave where two large metal doors were the only thing blocking them from the outside world. “We had commissioned one of the Lady’s warriors to forge this door during the brief period of piece in these lands; he was a skilled pyrotechnician.” 

Kagome was fascinated with the handiwork. She never thought she’d find something so delicate yet powerful to strike her with as much awe as it did.

The inside of the cave was frigid, and the samurai had to light up a torch before leading them deeper into it. Then, they reached the end of the tomb which had an urn containing Akihiko’s ashes standing on a platform. Next to it, there was a suit of armor that stood perfectly upright. 

“Sir Inuyasha, I’m sure that Lord Akihiko would have wanted you to have this. It is a suit of armor made from the bones of a dragon Yokai that had fell four hundred years ago.” The samurai said, pushing him towards it. 

“Do I look like the type to wear armor?”

“Why not try it on?” Kagome said with a smile. The thought of Inuyasha ever getting a suit of armor hadn’t crossed her mind until now. 

“Alright fine. Turn around, both of you.”

Kagome kept her back to Inuyasha. “How do I look?” was her cue to take a good look at him. He looked surprisingly regal in the white armor. She walked over to him and took a ribbon out from her bag. Without saying a word, she tied his hair into a high ponytail and then smiled. 

“Absolutely dashing- like a prince who just walked out of a fairy tale. Now all you need is an equally dashing horse and then you’ll be all set.”

Inuyasha’s scorn faded into satisfaction once he investigated the mirror which stood behind the armor. “You know, it isn’t too uncomfortable. But don’t expect me to wear it often.” 

“It’s okay, just let me admire it for a little longer while you still have it on.”

“You remind me of Akihiko in that armor. Seeing as how you and your friends defeated the demon you took the life of Kagewaki Hitomi; I’d like you to keep it as a reward.” The samurai said, with nostalgic joy. 

Inuyasha tilted his head. “Kagewaki Hitomi?”

“He was the Lady’s first cousin who was killed by a demon known as Naraku. For killing Naraku, I shall remain forever in your debt.”

“In that case, I’m even more glad than ever. Good to know that even a samurai like you is aware of Naraku.” Inuyasha smiled and then turned towards Kagome. “Shall we head back to Kaede’s village?”

She nodded and then shook hands with the samurai. “Thank you for letting us come by! I really appreciate it. And thanks for the stories.”

“Anytime. You two are always welcome to come here for any reason.” The samurai replied as he led the two of them out of the cave. 

\---------------------------------

Kagome held back on her tears until she was on Kirara’s back. It wasn’t like her to be reduced to tears so easily, especially not from any second-hand stories she had simply been told. 

“Why are you crying?” Inuyasha had thought that since Kikyo was gone, there’d be no reason for the tears to stream on Kagome’s face. 

“I’m bummed out about the lady… I wish that there was a way I could go back in time and prevent the death of either Akihiko… or at least of those warriors.” Kirara took off into the skies once Inuyasha was on. 

Inuyasha furrowed his brow and looked over the landscape below them before finally gathering the courage to speak, despite the fear of Kagome using the spell to send him to his death. “Uh… I think it’s for the best that those warriors are dead.”

“How could you say something so heartless?”

Inuyasha flinched and almost recoiled in fear of falling off Kirara. “Did you already forget about us facing them when Naraku resurrected them?”

It was then Kagome realized what it was that Inuyasha was insinuating. “No way! Those guys are definitely not the same ones who’d pledge loyalty to the Lady.” She recalled their level of brutality; how could they be spoken of post-mortem with any hint of admiration from a samurai of all people? 

Inuyasha shook his head. “No, I’m pretty sure that they are the same group. I think it’s better to keep the past right where it is.”

“If your theory is true then… I guess you’re right.” Kagome sighed. “But what if they aren’t?”

“Kagome, I think it’d best that we leave them undisturbed regardless of who they are.” She then leaned into him, relaxing as the gentle wind brushed through them amid the sunset.

**Author's Note:**

> Seeing as how I'm in quarantine, I got bored and decided to write another one shot.
> 
> Not sure if I will continue this


End file.
